Easy Apple Dump Cake

Learn how to make this easy Apple Dump Cake with pie filling and a spice cake mix! Warm apple pie topped with a buttery brown sugar and oat crisp topping. Serve this easy dump cake recipe topped with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. The perfect cozy dessert that mixes up in the same dish it is cooked in. 

For more easy dump cake recipes try my Berry Crisp Dump Cake, Easy Peach Dump Cake, or this Caramel Chocolate Turtle Dump Cake. 

Apple Dump Cake with Pie Filling

I absolutely love easy dessert recipes, like this apple dump cake, that are prepared in minutes with convenient store bought ingredients like a cake mix and canned pie filling. 

This apple dessert mixes up in the same dish that it cooks in! Simple to prepare with only a few ingredients that are easy to keep in your pantry for when you need dessert quickly, without having to run to the store. 

The warm apple pie filling pairs perfectly with the golden brown spice cake mix and the buttery brown sugar & oatmeal crisp topping. Top it with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and it’s amazing!

Ingredients Needed

Here is the short list of ingredients that you will need to make this apple dump cake with apple pie filling. I also share some tips for the ingredients, so that you can have success replicating this recipe exactly in your own kitchen. 

• Apple Pie Filling : I actually don’t mind the store-bought pie fillings that come in the cans. I never go to the extra effort to make my own homemade apple pie filling, but you certainly can if you want to. I have noticed that the name brand pie fillings are so much better and have a much better, more homemade taste to them. It’s worth it for that extra money to buy the name brand apple pie filling and not the generic. 
• Spice Cake Mix : Use any spice cake mix you can find. It doesn’t matter if it says ‘has pudding in the mix’ or not. 
• Salted Butter : This recipe has been tested with salted butter, but if you substitute with unsalted butter, you will want to add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt in with the oats + brown sugar mix.
• Old-Fashioned Oats : These are not quick oats. Make sure you are using the whole old-fashioned oats. It gives the best texture to the crisp topping and looks better with the larger oat flakes. 
• Brown Sugar : This will caramelize in the oven and make the crispy topping so buttery and golden crispy. 

How To Make An Easy Apple Dump Cake with a Spice Cake Mix

It’s simple to make this apple dessert recipe with the easy steps below.  Be sure and read to the bottom of the post where there is a handy printable recipe card, a pin it button so you can save it to Pinterest, and all the details with the ingredients and instructions. 

• Preparation : Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9×13 baking dish by spraying with cooking spray. 
• Apple Pie Filling : Dump both cans of apple pie filling into the prepared dish and spread it out evenly over the bottom of the pan. 
• Spice Cake Mix : Sprinkle the dry spice cake mix (do not prepare!) over top the apples and smooth it out with the back of a spoon. 
• Butter : Thinly slice the butter and lay them in rows over top of the cake mix. 
• Crisp Topping : Mix together the oats and brown sugar. Sprinkle it over the butter slices. 
• Bake : Cook for 45-50 minutes or until the oats are golden brown and the apple pie filling is bubbling. 
• Serve : Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, or whipped cream, and a caramel drizzle. 

Tips For Success

Here are a few of my tips for this recipe so that you can have success making it for your own family. 

• Thinly Slice The Butter : It’s important to take the extra few minutes and make sure that you are slicing the butter into thin slices. Doing this, will allow all of the dry cake mix to be covered in butter, this way you won’t end up with dry cake areas after the cook time. 
• Serve Warm : This dessert is best served warm within a few hours of making it. I let the dump cake rest in the hot pan for about 5-10 minutes and then scoop it up into bowls and top each serving with vanilla bean ice cream, caramel drizzle (optional), and chopped pecans or walnuts (also optional).
• Use Whole Old-Fashioned Oats : I do not recommend using quick oats if that’s all you have. The bigger texture works better in this recipe and looks prettier on top of the dump cake. If you absolutely must use quick oats, that’s fine, but I recommend sticking with what the recipe calls for. 

Apple Dump Cake FAQ’s

• Serving Suggestions
  • This best way to serve this dump cake is topped with vanilla bean ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce. 
  • You can also top it with whipped cream (homemade or store bought) instead of ice cream if wanted. 
  • It’s best served warm from the oven. Let the dump cake rest for about 10 minutes before serving it topped with ice cream. The best part is when that cold ice cream melts into the warm apple dessert. 
  • You can also sprinkle some chopped walnuts or pecans on top of each serving if wanted. 
• What If I Don’t Have a Spice Cake Mix?
  • If you don’t have a spice cake you can substitute with a yellow cake mix, white or vanilla cake mix, or a butter cake mix and add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon cloves in with the cake mix and stir to combine. Proceed with the recipe as directed but use your doctored up spice cake mix instead. 
• How To Store Leftovers
  • Leftovers of this apple dump cake can be stored in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 3 days. 
  • It’s important to remember that the cake topping with the oats & brown sugar will soften up as it sits in the fridge. This dessert is much better eaten the same day it’s made, and even better when eaten within a few hours of making it. 
  • When reheating leftovers, warm it up in the microwave first (about 1 minute) and then top with ice cream or whipped cream. 
• Variation & Substitution Ideas
  • Add Nuts : Add some chopped pecans or chopped walnuts into the oatmeal and brown sugar mixture OR you can sprinkle some chopped nuts on top of each serving of apple dump cake. 
  • Cake Mix : This recipe has been tested with a spice cake mix so that is what is recommended. If you don’t have one you can use a yellow, white, or vanilla cake mix and add some dried seasonings to make it a spice cake mix. You can also forgo the extra spices and just use a vanilla cake mix or golden butter cake mix instead. 
  • Switch Out The Canned Pie Filling : This recipe can easily be made with any pie filling you want. 
• Should I Use Salted Butter or Unsalted Butter?
  • You can use either salted butter or unsalted butter. 
  • This recipe has been tested and created using salted butter. If using unsalted butter, you will want to add about 1/2 teaspoon (or less to preference) in with the brown sugar and oats mixture. 
  • If I am adding salt to baking recipe I normally prefer using kosher salt or regular iodized table salt. 
• Can I Use Homemade Apple Pie Filling Instead?
  • Yes, of course! This is an easy version which uses store-bought apple pie filling in the can. If you prefer to make your own apple pie filling then that will work just fine. Make sure you make enough to equal the 2 cans of it that are called for in this recipe. 
  • This is a great recipe for apple pie filling if you prefer homemade. 

More Apple Dessert Recipes You’ll Love

• Simple Apple Crisp
• Oatmeal Cookie Apple Crumble
• Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
• Apple Cider Pudding Cake
• Snickerdoodle Apple Cobbler